BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- UAB broke a 3-3 tie with a run in the bottom of the eighth and held on for a 4-3 win over Wichita State on Friday night at Young Memorial Field.

The Shockers (21-14, 5-5) grabbed a pair of runs in the top of the second to take the game's first lead. An RBI ground out from Jack Quick and an infield single from Alex Ulloa plated Jaden Gustafson and Jacob Gutierrez, who walked and singled, respectively.

The lead did not last long, however, as UAB (23-11, 8-2) responded with three runs of their own in the bottom of the inning. An RBI groundout followed by consecutive run-scoring hits with two outs inched the Blazers in front, 3-2.

Quick pulled the Shockers level with a long solo homer leading off the top of the fifth, evening the score at 3-3.

The score stayed there until the eighth as the Shockers got excellent bullpen work from Heitaro Hayashi and Caleb Reed, who kept UAB off the board in the sixth and seventh innings. In the eighth, however, Andrew Hunt led off the frame with a single, moved to third on another single, and came in to score when Baylor Roberts lifted a sacrifice fly to left for a 4-3 lead.

Wichita State mounted a two-out rally in the top of the ninth. Jacob Gutierrez kept WSU alive with a two-strike single, then pinch-hitter Nolan Ganter looped a base hit into left-center. Ganter attempted to stretch the hit into a double and was thrown out at second base to end the game.

Brendan Conner (4-1) earned the win out of the UAB bullpen, while Caleb Reed (5-1) was saddled with the loss for Wichita State.

WSU starter Matthew Cuccias took a no-decision, allowing three runs on six hits over 4.1 innings with three strikeouts and two walks.

Gutierrez led the Shockers with three hits. Jayson Jones saw his 25-game hitting streak come to an end with an 0-for-4 day.

The Shockers and Blazers continue the series on Saturday afternoon at 2:00 pm CT.